Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Chap'eau Bras p. 217A military hat which can be flattened and put under the arm.Chāp'el, n. p. 217[O. Fr. chapele, capele, N. Fr. chapelle, Pr. & Pg. capella, Sp. capilla, It. cappella, L. Lat. capella, originally a short cloak, hood, or cowl; a sacred vessel, chapel. It is said that the kings of…Chāp'el, v. t. p. 217To deposit in a chapel. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl. 2. (Naut.) To turn round, as a ship, in a light breeze of wind, when taken aback, so as to put it on the same tack without bracing the head yards. Totten.Chāpe'less, a. p. 217Without a chape. “An old rusty sword, and chapeless.” Shak.Chăp'el-la-ny, n. p. 217A chapel and jurisdiction within the precincts of a church, and subordinate to it. Ayliffe.Chāp'el-let, n. p. 217(Far.) A pair of stirrup leathers, with stirrups, joined at the top, and made fast to the framework of the saddle, after they have been adjusted to the convenience of the rider. [Written also…Chāp'el-ry, n. p. 217The bounds or jurisdiction of a chapel.Chăp'er-ōn, n. p. 217A hood or cap. “His head and face covered with a chaperon, out of which there were but two holes to look through.” Howell. 2. A device placed on the foreheads of horses which drew the hearse in…Chāp’er-ōn, v. t. p. 217To attend in public places as a guide and protector. Fortunately Lady Bell Finley, whom I had promised to chaperon, sent to excuse herself. Mrs. H. More.Chap'-fallen, a. p. 217Having the lower chap depressed; dejected; dispirited; silenced.Chāp'i-ter, n. p. 217(Arch.) The upper part or capital of a column or pillar. [Obs.] See CAPITAL. 2. (Law.) A summary in writing of such matters as are to be inquired of or presented before justices in eyre, or justices…Chāp'lain, n. p. 217An ecclesiastic who has a chapel, or who performs service in a chapel. 2. A clergyman who is officially attached to a ship of war, to an army, to some public institution, or to a family, for the…Chāp'lain-cy, n. p. 217The office or station of a chaplain.Chāp'lain-ship, n. p. 217The office or business of a chaplain. “The Bethesda of some knight's chaplainship.” Milton. 2. The possession or revenue of a chapel. Johnson.Chap'less, a. p. 217Without any flesh about the mouth. “Reeky shanks and yellow, chapless skulls.” Shak.Chāp'let, n. p. 217A garland or wreath to be worn on the head. 2. A string of beads used by the Roman Catholics in counting their prayers. “Her chaplet of beads and her missal.” Longfellow. 3. (Arch.) A little molding…Chāp'man, n. p. 217One who buys or sells; a purchaser; a buyer; a seller; a merchant. The word of life is a quick commodity, and ought not, as a drug, to be obtruded on those chapmen who are unwilling to buy it.…Chăp'py, a. p. 218Full of chaps; cleft; gaping; open.Chaps, n. pl. p. 218The mouth or jaws. See CHAP.Cháp'ter, n. p. 218A division of a book or treatise; as, Genesis contains fifty chapters. 2. (Eccl.) A community or corporation composed of the prebends and other clergymen belonging to a cathedral or collegiate…Chăp'ter, v. t. p. 218To correct or reprove; to censure. [Obs.] Dryden.Cháp'ter-house, n. p. 218A house or room where a chapter meets.Chāp'trel, n. p. 218(Arch.) The capital of a pier or pilaster which receives an arch;— also called an impost. Gwilt.Chär, n. p. 218(Ichth.) A species of salmon inhabiting deep lakes in mountainous regions in Europe. In the United States, the Salmo fontinalis, or brook trout, has sometimes been called char.Châr or Châre, n. p. 218Work done by the day; a single job, or task. See CHORE. [Eng.] When thou hast done this chare, I give thee leave to play. Shak.Châr, v. t. p. 218To perform; to do.Châre, v. p. 218Nares. That char is chared, as the good wife said when she had hanged her husband. Old Proverb.Châr or Châre, v. i. p. 218To work by the day, without being a regularly hired servant; to do small jobs.Châr, v. t. p. 218To burn or reduce to coal or carbon; to reduce to charcoal by expelling all volatile matter; to burn slightly or partially; as, to char wood. 2. To work or hew, as stone. Oxf. Gloss.Chār'act, n. p. 218A distinctive mark or inscription. [Obs.] See CHARACTER. “In all his dressings, characts, titles, forms.” Shak.Chăr'ac-ter, n. p. 218A distinctive mark; a letter, figure, or sign. It were much to be wished that there were throughout the world but one sort of character for each letter to express it to the eye. Holder. 2. The manner…Châr'ac-ter, v. t. p. 218To engrave; to inscribe. These trees shall be my books, And in their barks my thoughts I'll character. Shak. 2. To distinguish by particular marks or traits; to describe; to characterize. Mitford.Chăr'ac-ter-ism, n. p. 218The distinction of character. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Chăr'ac-ter-is'tic or Chăr'ac-ter-is'tic-al, a. p. 218Serving to constitute the character; serving to mark the peculiar distinctive qualities of a person or thing; peculiar; appropriate. “Characteristic clearness of temper.” Macaulay.Chăr'ac-ter-is'tic, n. p. 218That which constitutes a character; that which characterizes; that which distinguishes a person or thing from another. “The characteristics of a true critic.” Johnson. 2. (Math.) The index or…Chăr'ac-ter-is'tic-al, a. p. 218The same as CHARACTERISTIC. [Obs.]Chār`ac-ter-is'tic-al-ly, adv. p. 218In a manner that distinguishes character.Chār'ac-ter-is'tic-al-ness, n. p. 218The state or qualities of being characteristic.Chär'ac-ter-i-zā'tion, n. p. 218Act of characterizing.Chär'aç-ter-ize, v. t. p. 218To mark with a peculiar stamp or figure. European, Asiatic, Chinese, African, and Grecian faces are characterized. Arbuthnot. 2. To engrave or imprint. [Obs.] Hale. 3. To give a character or an…Chăr'ac-ter-lĕss, a. p. 218Destitute of any peculiar character. Shakespeare saw that it was, in fact, the perfection of woman to be characterless. Coleridge.Chăr'ăc-tĕr'y, n. p. 218Manner or means of expressing by marks or characters. [Obs.] Fairies use flowers for their charactery. Shak. 2. That which is charactered or expressed. [Obs.] I will construe to thee All the…Cha-rāde', n. p. 218An enigma based upon a word, the parts of which, taken separately, are significant, their meaning, and that of the whole word, being discovered by description or representation.Chär'bon, n. p. 218(Far.) A small, black spot or mark remaining in the cavity of the corner tooth of a horse after the large spot or mark has become obliterated.Char'coal, n. p. 218Coal made by charring wood under turf, or in other circumstances to exclude air; wood-coal. Charcoal blacks, the black pigments, consisting of burnt ivory, bone, cork, peach-stones, and other…Chärd, n. p. 218A variety of the white beet, which produces large, succulent leaves, having a very solid rib running along the middle. Gardner. 2. The whitened or blanched leaves of the artichoke and some other…Châre, n. p. 218A narrow street. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Chär'fron, n. p. 218See CHAMFRON.Chär'ge, n. p. 218The load or burden which is laid upon a person or thing. [Obs.] “Asses of great charge.” Shak. 2. The person or thing committed or intrusted to the care, custody, or management of another; a trust…Chärge, v. t. p. 218To lay on or impose, as a load or burden. 2. To lay on or impose, as a task, duty, or trust; — followed by with. He never seemed to charge his memory or to trouble his thoughts with a sense of any of…Chärge, v. i. p. 218To make an onset; as, to charge with fixed bayonets. Like your heroes of antiquity, he charges in iron. Glanville. Could death charge through such a shining shield? Young.Chärge'a-ble, a. p. 218Capable of being charged, laid, imposed, or imputed; as, a duty chargeable on iron; a fault chargeable on a man. 2. Subject to be charged or accused; as, revenues chargeable with a claim; a man…Chärge'a-ble-ness, n. p. 218The quality of being expensive; cost. Whitlock.Chärge'a-bly, adv. p. 218At great cost; expensively.Chargé d'Affaires, n. p. 218A diplomatic representative, or minister of an inferior grade, at a foreign court, to whose care are confided the affairs of his nation; a minister of the fourth grade. Kent. Wheaton.Chärge'ful, a. p. 218Creating expense; costly. [Obs.] “The chargeful fashion.” Shak.Chärge'-house, n. p. 218A school-house. [Obs.] 2. A free school. [Obs.] Shak.Chärge'less, a. p. 218Not expensive; free from expense.Chär'ger, n. p. 218One who, or that which, charges. 2. A large dish. [Obs.] Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger. Matt. xiv. 8. 3. A horse used in battle. And furious every charger neighed. Campbell. 4. (Scots…Chär-ge'ship, n. p. 218The office of a chargé d'affaires.